Injury curtails Hougaard’s Bulls move
30 Nov 2011
A persistent Achilles tendon injury has ended Derick Hougaard’s ambitions of returning to the Bulls.
Hougaard was in discussions with the Pretoria franchise about a possible deal, but concerns around the injury recurring has seen the Bulls decline to sign the 28-year-old former Springboks flyhalf.
‘Unfortunately we cannot currently accommodate Derick in our structure. If Derick is fit and injury-free, he will still be a world class player. And if the situation changes and circumstances necessitate it, we will gladly call on him,’ Bulls director of rugby Heyneke Meyer told Beeld.
The Bulls recently signed Stormers pivot Lionel Cronje in an attempt to build depth in the position. Hougaard is currently contracted to English club Saracens and will return there after his failed bid to come home.
21 Comments
30 Nov 2011, 08:35 am
so not wasting money on an injured player…
letting saracens pay for his rehab… then will take him back…!!
30 Nov 2011, 08:38 am
@Upho(ufo)-1: it is nothing but good business sense imo.
30 Nov 2011, 08:42 am
Sad timez for Hougaard.
30 Nov 2011, 08:44 am
His experience would have been vital for the Bulls in their rebuilding phase.
30 Nov 2011, 09:00 am
Yep just business.
Often (and I am not saying Hougard fits this bill) players think they have an automatic right of return.
Butch got decidely miffed when the Sharks decided not to take him back. (Have not got to that part in his book yet.) Between Bath and Butch they wanted too much. Its business… nothing personal
30 Nov 2011, 09:28 am
Aren’t the Stormers looking for a flyhalf.
30 Nov 2011, 09:28 am
Aren’t the Stormers looking for a flyhalf?
30 Nov 2011, 10:07 am
@Kietzphat(Kietzphat)-6: dont wish that skop en jag artist on us !
30 Nov 2011, 10:09 am
@Kietzphat(Kietzphat)-7:
Yes but mnot an injured one. The Stormers are dumb but not that dumb. Watch them disprove me now!
30 Nov 2011, 10:43 am
G10,
Stormers are saving their money for a play to get Smit to bolster their hooker & leadership.
I have this on good authority
30 Nov 2011, 10:44 am
Also, Matfield is coming to Stormers as player/coach/mentor for Bekker.
30 Nov 2011, 10:50 am
@BULLET(BULLET)-10:
@BULLET(BULLET)-11:
Don’t be cruel to G10.
There there gwantie, John Mitchell will be the next Bok coach and he’ll name Luke Watson as captain.
30 Nov 2011, 10:55 am
@BULLET(BULLET)-10: Well Swakopmund here I farken come….
@Kietzphat(Kietzphat)-12: JEEPERS….that would have me over the bloody moon I tell you….
30 Nov 2011, 11:27 am
Can’t think of any reason whatsoever why the stormers won’t sign him. Come to think of it, I’ll be shocked if Rassie does not sign him…
30 Nov 2011, 11:40 am
Good decision.
30 Nov 2011, 11:51 am
hah!
eat your ffucking cocopops now granty!
30 Nov 2011, 12:05 pm
Actually he’s been playing a fairly expansive style at Saracens. learned some pretty solid defence too.
Might be just the tonic for WP.
We tried him once last year already if you’ll recall. He wasn’t available then but now, who knows??
30 Nov 2011, 15:56 pm
Hougaard moving to his hometown would be a masterstroke for South African Rugby in general.
30 Nov 2011, 17:46 pm
No rugby union in their right mind would take a player that has an injury that keeps resurfacing.
I retract my statement….the Lions took on Butch James.
30 Nov 2011, 18:45 pm
Decision got nothing to do with ‘business’
Lifling doesn’t offer anything for the Bulls at FH that Morne S hasn’t got lready, nearly identical style and quality.
Styen doesn’t get injured too often so it makes sense to develope Cronje and the other kid who might give the Bulls an option in a different rugby style.
Simple
1 Dec 2011, 06:26 am
Steyn is enough of a liability.
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